Taking Our Love Home

Thursday night was filled with nerves, prayer, excitement, prayer, and more prayer.  We prayed for Millie Janalee's birthparents.  We prayed for protection of our hearts.  We prayed for Millie Janalee.  We just prayed.  Millie Janalee and her birthmother were discharged Friday morning.  Nancy, the pregnancy counselor, was with the birthparents when they left.  I cannot imagine the emotion and sadness.  I grieved for them...and still do.  Nancy has such a special job, and I know she was right there to comfort them as they left their baby girl at the hospital.

Millie Janalee was ready for us to pick her up around 11:30...2 hours earlier than expected!  We were still at the agency signing papers and our photographer wasn't in town yet.  So, Mama inherited the job of photographer!  Ha!  If you know her, you know why this is funny.  She did a great job though...even if the nurses gave her a hard time for taking so many pictures!

We met Nancy in the lobby, and she walked us up to where our baby girl was waiting.  Carla, one of the nurses with a great sense of humor, met us in the hallway.  You can tell from the picture above how excited she was to have her picture taken!

We walked to a back room where the nurses would give us a rundown of the "how-to manual" before taking Millie Janalee home.  It's funny, because I remember very little about what they told me!  Everything was a complete blur!

Waiting on Millie Janalee

Here she comes!

While Carla went through the checklist of umbilical cord care, suctioning, changing her diaper, taking her temperature, etc...we just stood there in awe of this sweet baby girl.  Our girl!  It's still unreal.  Nurses were standing around, Mama was taking pictures, and Nancy watched as we stood there as parents to Millie Janalee.

She was a little fussy, and Carla told us it was probably time for her to eat.  Then we realized she had a dirty diaper.  Enter sweat.  In passing, Carla tells me, "This is great practice." And tosses me a tiny diaper.  I've changed diapers many times.  I've changed nieces' diapers and many when I babysat.  But, I've never changed Millie Janalee's diaper...in front of everyone.  Like it was a test.  Would they not let me take her home if I messed up?!  Ha! 

So, I began.  It would have helped if I had known how much she dislikes being naked.  Because she screamed the whole time, and I sweated more and more.  Finally, the nurse informed me that I was doing great.  Thank you for that, but I sure wish I didn't have an audience.

Once the diaper was changed, Millie Janalee was happy and snoozing again.  We picked up our girl and held her close.  It may not be official yet, but we sure felt like a "Party of Three!"

Our next task was getting our sweet smocked gown on our girl to go home in style.  Once again...we realized that Miss Millie Janalee does not enjoy being naked or changed.  Plus...whoever invented these dresses with tiny buttons on the back obviously didn't mean for it to be done alone.  It was a two-person job.

But, she as OH SO SWEET when we got her tiny hands through the sleeves.  Sweet little bundle of ours!

Carla asked us if we had fitted her in the car seat yet.  Of course, we had not.  So it was time for yet another test while the audience of experts watched on.  I'm glad I wore sleeveless!  Ha!  Millie Janalee was screaming, Russ was trying to twist straps, I was trying to console the baby and help Russ know how to strap her in, and the nurses just watched.  I just knew they were thinking..."These two are taking her home?" 

Once we got our girl strapped in and calmed down, the nurse told us that they usually just carry the babies out.  She just wanted us to be sure she fit in the car seat.  What?!  Nancy, very quickly, informed her that lots of parents carry their babies out in car seats.  So that's what we did.  Thank you, Nancy!  The thought of doing this again in 105 degree July heat made me sweat in all new places!  I'd rather carry my sleeping babe out and have a pleasant loading experience. 

Daddy, Mama, and baby makes THREE!

As Russ went to pull the car around, I looked down at this bundle in my hands.  Wow!  Just like that, we have become parents to this sweet girl.  How great is our God!

Loaded and ready, we headed to the hotel for more pictures...and prepared to meet the family!

We were taking our love home!